Virtual Life
by Shizume Hiyori
Summary: Cloud Strife, known as Rain in the Virtual World, was a gamer. Everything was changed when the Virtual Reality became the "Real World" for this person and the other gamers. Main: Cloud Pairings: Unknown


**Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy VII**

**Summary:** Cloud Strife, known as Rain in the Virtual World, was a gamer. Everything was changed when the Virtual Reality became the "Real World" for this person and the other gamers.

* * *

**Virtual Life**

* * *

**Chapter One: New World, Body, and Identity**

Midgar, a city where the difference between social statuses among people can be seen obviously, was in a huge uproar. The public were in an outrage at a certain Electric and partially gaming company called "Shinra Company". People were rioting in front of the company demanding them to fix what they have done. Policemen armed with heavy equipment were barricading the entire company building, preventing the public from charging the company. The people were throwing huge stones which were near to the size of a boulder or maybe even the boulder itself, pieces of metals, dynamites, and other things which they could throw at the company or even at the policemen themselves if they won't listen to their demand.

The public demand for one thing only and that was for the company to release the gamers who were stuck in a game that they released. Sons, daughters, brothers, sisters, cousins, and other relatives were stuck in a game which the Shinra Company made.

Gaming Consoles became obsolete when the company invented the "MindLink". It was a small device which was made from special materials. It resembled a headband strap which can be seen in two colors, black or silver. In order to use it, a gamer must program a game that they want to play in the "MindLink". This can be done by connecting it to a computer or laptop. Once the right procedures were done without any problem and the proper connections were made, the players can just place the "MindLink" on their heads and wear it like it was just a normal headband. The players were rendered in a "sleeping state" the moment they started using it. Because of this, most players would just lie down on a bed or sit on a couch. A Virtual Reality was shown to them via the "MindLink".

In the Shinra Company's president office, Rufus Shinra, the president's son and the new president of the Company after his father took suicide, sat behind his desk. His elbows rested on top of the desk. His fingers which were linked together were covering the lower half of his face. Even though he was happy at his father's death, there was no time for him to celebrate with all the problems left on his shoulders. Due to an internal conflict in the company's Gaming Department which invented the "MindLink" and made the game "Final Fantasy" where thousands of players were trapped, he was forced to face the problem with all his might to save face and clean the image of the company. The previous president couldn't take the pressure and stress which resulted for him to take suicide, leaving everything to Rufus.

Rufus sighed and ordered his secretary to call on Professor Hojo, the head of the Gaming Department. Minutes later, a man dressed in a white lab coat and black pants entered the office. He has long black hair which was tied in a loose pony tail and wore glasses. Professor Hojo stood in front of the desk, knowing why he was called.

"I'll go direct to the point. Is there a way to solve this problem which your department made?" Rufus asked in a threatening tone.

A sinister smile appeared on Hojo's face which earned him a glare from Rufus. Hojo didn't care one bit about the trapped players. For him, they were just test subjects also known as guinea pigs for his so-called studies. "The only way to solve this problem was to clear up the game from the inside. The "MindLink" can't be taken out forcibly. If someone tried that, that unfortunate player will die for real."

Rufus' eyebrow twitched. He was about to ask why but Hojo provided the answer before he could even ask.

"Thanks to a virus that the Failure-Hollander made, the device would emit thousands worth of electric voltage which would toast a human brain if the device was removed. That unknown virus would activate such feat." Hojo insulted his co-worker like it was nothing.

Just like Hojo, Rufus didn't care one bit about the players but his and the company's image were at stake so he has no other choice but to deal with all the craps the gaming department gave to him.

With the skills of the gamers nowadays, it was hard for them to find a good player who was definitely good and not just all bluff.

* * *

"Final Fantasy" was a game which was just released by the company. Aside from the beta-tester, no one was able to play it yet. The moment the game was released and hit the stores, gamers all over the world bought it together with the "MindLink". They started playing it but the gamers who played it never woke up from their "sleeping state". Some of them died when their parents or relatives forced them to stop playing by removing the device. Because of that, the players died then the news began to spread. It was already too late when the Shinra Company discovered the virus planted in the game at the last minute which caused the problem. The game was released worldwide and thousands of players were trapped all over the world. In Midgar, 50,000 gamers were trapped. The players trapped in the game from Banora, Junon, Gongaga, Nibelheim, and other places were not yet included in the list.

Rufus and Hojo were on a heated discussion. It was all stopped when someone knocked and entered the president's office. Hojo coughed and introduced the new person who just joined them.

A tall man who stood about 6ft tall or taller stood beside Hojo with a good distance away from the madman. The man was wearing a long sleeved black polo shirt, white slacks which highlighted his long legs perfectly, and black expensive shoes. He has long silver hair which was tied in a loose pony tail that matched his handsome face. His green cat-slit eyes caught Rufus attention. There was no doubt that the man was oozing with charisma and great aura but Rufus refused to get intimidated by the man.

Rufus straightened himself and looked at the tall man. He could somehow deduce that their age gap was not that big. "Who might you be?"

"Sephiroth…" The man merely answered.

"He is the beta-tester who was able to play the game before this entire ruckus happened. Consider him as the "Chosen Hero" who can clear the game and save everyone. He is capable on everything so I'm sure he can do it." Hojo made the introduction.

Sephiroth shrugged and left the president's office to do what he has to do. He really didn't want to come there but the madman of a professor forced him to come. He went to a reserved room where everything was completely prepared for him. All he had to do was put the "MindLink" on.

After Sephiroth left, Hojo followed him out of the office. Meanwhile, Rufus faced the press and informed them on what must be done to partially solve the problem.

For him, reality was too boring. He can do everything. He can get everything. He was famous worldwide. Men and Women all over the world wanted him. Everything was too good for him which made everything so boring to him. Even though there were also some haters, that didn't stop him from thinking that everything was so boring. His only saving grace was the Virtual World. Someone like him who was considered a genius and prodigy, that kind of thinking was no longer strange.

Sephiroth didn't care on others as well. Despite his popularity, he only had a few friends which can be narrowed down into two real friends that he had. Since he was chosen for this task, he had no choice but to do it even though his life would be at risk. Knowing all of that, he still didn't fear death at all. He had no decent reason or goal in doing the said task. His only reason for doing it was because he was bored on reality. It all changed when a certain short-haired lady approached him who was also dressed in a lab coat like Hojo.

"Sephiroth…" Gillian Hewley approached Sephiroth with a look of worry in her eyes.

Sephiroth turned around to face Gillian whom he recognized as the mother of his friend named Angeal. "Is there something wrong, Mrs. Hewley?" He said respectfully.

Gillian looked away for a moment. Her body was trembling in fear. She took a deep breath and looked at Sephiroth in the eyes again. "I-I-I know that this is dangerous but I have no one else to ask for this favor aside from you."

Sephiroth raised an eyebrow trying to find out what she was trying to say to him.

"I… received a message from Genesis, my son's best friend in Banora that Angeal was trapped in the game together with the thousands of players around the world." Gillian informed him.

Sephiroth's eyes widen for a second in surprise. His friend was trapped in the game. Unbelievable, he was so shocked that he almost dropped the "MindLink" that he was holding. "What? No! That can't be!"

"My son wanted to try playing the game which his father Hollander helped in developing and making. By the time, Genesis and the others found out the defects of the game. It was already too late. Angeal was able to log-in and tried the said game. They can't take off the device from him, knowing that it will kill him."

Sephiroth gripped the device on his hand tightly, almost breaking it. One of the two friends that he got was in danger. No one from the outside can do anything to save them. All the outsiders can do was to prevent the players from dying and take care of the trapped players' physical body that was left. As long as Sephiroth remained in reality, he won't be able to save his friend. Now, this gave him a goal and a decent reason on clearing up the game. He can't just leave his friend behind.

"Don't worry, Mrs. Hewley. I promise I'll get Angeal back."

Gillian smiled a little but it was still full of worry and fear. "I'm sorry, Sephiroth. I have nobody else to ask. You are the only one I can depend on. Before you go, I will tell you an important information which none of the players inside knew. Once a player died in the game, they will also die in real. The "MindLink" will emit the same amount of Volts just like when the device is removed forcibly once a player died in the game. My husband, Hollander, who got imprisoned because of the problem that he made, admitted that to me."

Sephiroth nodded and gave Gillian's shoulder a light squeeze, indicating that she shouldn't worry. He wasn't sure if the players would believe him but that information must be spread. He asked Gillian to tell that to Rufus and the others as well if they haven't realize that yet. After that, he laid himself on a capsule-like bed and got the "MindLink" on. With that, Sephiroth slept as he went to the virtual reality to find his friend and at the same time, do what he has to do.

* * *

The Virtual World almost looked like the Real World. The difference was that there were no monsters lurking in the real world. Second, they can use magic with the help of a small orb called "Materia".

In a dark forest inhabited by monsters, a young blond, who wore a matching dark navy shirt and cargo pants, stood near a lake while watching his reflection. He has crystal clear blue eyes and his spiky blond hair stuck out in any direction. A green scarf covered his neck, silver shoulder-pads and knee-pads were protecting his shoulder and knees. He wore brown gloves and leather boots in which the leather straps were wrapped on the lower part of his legs. The black sling of his black rifle was hung on his right shoulder.

The blond touched the top of his head and face completely shocked. His hands traveled on his body. Despite him being a man, his body was kind of feminine-ish. He reached that certain part on his lower body which made him blush. He let go of that part quickly after dropping his jaw. He shook his head, not believing on what happened to his body. Even though he resembled his appearance in real life, there were still some slight differences.

"WHAT THE-?!" Cloud questioned his own reflection, completely surprised. He was so surprised which caused for him to hyperventilate.

He stopped on his self-exploration when he heard some monsters grumbling. Cloud turned around only to see that he was surrounded by the forest wolves. One wolf lunged towards him, aiming to bite his head off. He used his rifle to block the wolf's attack. Instead of biting him, the wolf bit the middle part of the rifle. With quick yet harsh swinging of the rifle, Cloud was able to throw off the wolf but it scratched his left arm in the process. His eyes widen in surprise when he saw himself bleeding. He was in a game, in a virtual reality but the pain and blood felt too real. With his shaking right hand, Cloud held his wound and gave it a squeeze. The taint of blood on his glove wasn't fake at all. His squeeze was too painful up to the point that he can't just tell that it was all a virtual reality.

"What? Just… WHAT IS GOING ON?! ISN'T ALL OF THIS A GAME?! WHY DOES IT FEEL TOO REAL?!"

* * *

**Author's Notes:** Waaahh… I disappeared without saying anything for almost a year or maybe a year and how-many-months (I lost track. _) yet I came back without updating my other on-going fics but instead made a new one. I am such a disgrace for a writer! Yeah! I'll bang my head on a wall since none of you guys can do it. I would have let you if you can. TTATT

Depending on the people's response I get in this fic, I may or may not continue this. Let's just say this is a trial and error thingy(?) w

A-A-Anyway, I'll update my other on-going fics together with this fic if ever I get "good response" that helps in inspiring me on continuing this but if not, well… I'll just update my other fics and take this story down.

**Do enjoy reading everyone! ^_^**


End file.
